Body blank sorting apparatus for plate slitting machines



Jan. 19, 1932. .1. c. BALLETTI BODY BLANK SORTING APPARATUS FOR PLATE SLITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2a 3a 211%ENTER.

Jan. 19, 1932. J. c. BALLETTI BODY BLANK SORTING APPARATUS FOR PLATE SLITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Filed Feb. 15, 1926 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE- UNITED STATES JOHN CHARLES BALLETTI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR'TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY BODY BLANK SORTING APPARATUS FOR PLATE SLITTING MACHINES Application filed February 15, 1928. Serial No. 88,220.

The present invention relates to a sorting or segregating apparatus for articles and is adapted for separating perfect from imperfect articles or objects. Sheets of tin plate are trimmed andslit into blanks from which can bodies are formed, and the surface of the plate often contains rough spots or other imperfections, which imperfections, when the sheet is out, are located in one or more of the body blanks.

This particular invention has for its ob jects to provide an apparatus for segregating or sorting the desirable from undesirable or imperfect slit portions or body blanks cut from a trimmed plate. Another important object of the invention is to provide a body blank segregating or sorting apparatus adaptable for use in connection with slitting apparatus as now employed; one wherein the body blanks as 'cut and discharged from the slitter may be selectively sorted, at the will of the operator, in accordance with their desirability of use for the purpose intended. A further object is to provide a control mechanism for a sorting apparatus adaptable for operation from a point distant from the location of the sorting apparatus, enabling the sheet feeder of the slitting apparatus, on observing any waster spot or imperfection in 30 the sheet as fed, to set the sorting apparatus to discard the slit portion or body blank containing the imperfection from the remainder of the slit portions or body blanks cut from the same sheet; to provide means for retaining the sorting apparatus in its set position until such time as the same is released to return to normal position by the passage'over one surface thereof of the directed slit portion or body blank.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrific- 50 ing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings disclosing one preferred embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a view in top plan.

Fig. 2 is a View in broken side elevation disclosing particularly the means for guiding or segregating the body blanks or slit portions from the slittei', the directing means lying in its normal position.

Fig. .3 is asectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, illustrating the directing means in its operated-or set position, in the present embodiment it being employed to direct an imperfect blank to a discard station or receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of -Fig. 1, illustrating the means for aligning the trimmed sheet prior to its passage between the slitting'rolls to be cut into slit portions or body blanks.

Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 4, with the aligning means in its displaced position, having been moved thereinto by the passage of the sheet between the slitting rolls.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2, illustrating the latch mechanism for retaining the respective directing means in their set or operated position until released by the passage thereover of the body blank to be directed into the discard.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram. for the apparatus controlling the directing means.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsthe numeral 1 indicatesa frame, the same being provided with runway surfaces or bed plates 2 and 3, illustrated as arranged at right angles to each other. At the free end of the bed plate 2 is stationed the operator employed to feed the tin plate sheets A onto said bed plate with one edge against the straight edge or aligning device 4, disposed at substantially right angles to the bed plate 3. Adjacent its juncture with the bed plate 3, the bed plate 2 has extended transversely thereove'r, one over and the other below the same, rotatable shafts 5, intergeared at 6, and mounted in their respective bearings 7. The shafts 5 each carry the well known type of feed and trimming rolls or cutters 8, arranged in cooperating pairs,

and one of the shafts, in the present embodi ment being the lower shaft, is provided with a power wheel or pulley 9, preferably operated in the direction of the arrows-Figs. 1 and 2.

The sheets A, positioned as in Fig. 1, when fed between the feed and cutter rolls 8 are trimmed and are discharged by the action of the feed portions of the cutter rolls onto the bed plate 3, with their edge 9 in contact with the straight edge or guiding wall 10 disposed at the far side of the bed plate 3.

The bed plate 3 for a portion of its length is preferably formed with a longitudinal slot 11 in which operates a feed chain 12 carrying at spaced intervals thereon angle members 13 serving as sheet propelling dogs. The endless chain at opposite ends of the slot 11 operates over sprockets 14 and 14', Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The sprocket 14 is carried by a shaft 15 which has chain driving connection 16 with shaft 17 disposed parallel beneath the discharge end of bed plate 3.

Disposed parallel with shaft 17 and located above the same is a complemental shaft 19, the shafts 17 and 19 eachcarrying pairs of cooperating feed rolls and slitter knives 20 spaced in pairs throughout their length, the distance between the pairs of feed rolls and slitter knives on the respective shafts corresponding to the width it is desired to cut the body blanks from the sheet A as fed thereto by the endless chain 12. The shaft 19 is driven through a bevel gear connection 18 with the uppermost of the pair of shafts 5.

To properly align the blank A with reference to the rolls 20, I provide a shaft 21 disposed parallel with shafts 17 and 19 and positioned above the same, the ends of said shaft 21, like the ends of said shafts 17 and 19, being supported in journals in suitable brackets 22 secured to the side walls of the frame 1 adjacent the discharge end of the bed plate 3.

Secured to the shaft 21 at spaced points are the arms 22 weighted at their outer ends, as at 23, and each having on a depending portion a pivotally mounted finger 24, the ends of which are designed with relatively blunt portions 25 to project between adjacent pairs of feed and slitting rollers and to normally lie in contact with the free edge of the discharge end of bed plate 3.

Springs 26 connecting the fingers 24 and arms 22 afford means for normally maintaining the parts 22 and 24 in a position so that the end 25 of the finger 24, when pressure thereon is relieved, will lie in a position to contact with the edge of the discharge end of the bed plate 3. On the forward edge of the sheet A, as conveyed over the bed plate 3, arriving at the discharge end of the bed plate, the same encounters the blunt ends 25 of fingers 24, the action of which is to align the edge of the sheet A parallel with the discharge edge of the bed. Continued movement of the sheet A'by the endless chain 12 3 causes the forward edge of the plate to pass between the feeding portions 'ofthe feed and slitter rolls 20, and from this time on the sheet is fed andslit into body blanks by the rotation and action of the combined feed and slitting rollers 20. As the forward e of the sheet passes between the rolls, F1g. 5, springs 26 on the respective arms 22 yield, enabling the fingers to be displaced from within the path of the sheet.

The means for directing or guiding the body blanks or slit portions cut from the sheet A as discharged from the cutting and feed rollers 20 into classes or grades in accordance with their quality or perfection, is

, arranged and constructed in the present embodiment, as follows Connecting the lateral extensions 23' of brackets 22 and disposed substantially parallel with shafts 17 and 19 is a supporting shaft 27, the latter mounting at points between the spaced pairs of feed and slitter rolls 20 a supporting bracket 28 having a curved wall 29 and a laterally extending arm 30. The brackets 28 are in the present embodiment illustrated as being four in number, the same being free to rotate on shaft 27 and held from longitudinal movement thereon by the confining collars 31.

To the curved portion 29 of each bracket is secured a curved directing plate 32, the upper bevelled end of which, as in Fig. 2, normally lies at a point beneath the plane of the discharge end of the bed plate 3. The respective members 32 are downwardly and rearwardly curved with their discharge end 33 illustrated as lying beneath the discharge end of the bed plate3. To each lateral arm 30 is secured a core 34, and each core cooperates with an electro-magnet 35, the energizing of the respective magnets being controlled by manually operated contacts 36, preferably located at one edgeof the bed plate 2 within convenient reach of the operator.

The electric energy for operating the electro-magnets on the closing of their respective closing contacts may be supplied from any suitable source, a battery 37 connected with the magnets by suitable conductors 38 forming a simple wiring layout, is indicated.

Associated with each curved directing plate 32 is a pivoted latch member 39 of substantially T formation in side elevation, and each latch member is fulcrumed to pivot on a shaft 40 and is disposed with one end of its transverse portion 41 projecting through an opening 42 in the member 32 adjacent its discharge end.

The main portion of the latch 39 is weighted at 43 and the opposite end of its transverse portion 44 is adapted to ride on a bracket 45 and rest thereon until such time as displaced in a hereinafter described manner.

As previously explained, the curved directing plates 32 normally lie in the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the'drawings, with their upper end disposed so that the perfect body blanks D will'pass thereover and be received in their respective compartments B in a suitable receptacle.

On the operation of any of the contacts 36 the electro-magnet 35 connected therewith is energized, drawing the core 34 toward the same, which operation causes a movement of the bracket 28 on the shaft 27. This operation raises or elevates the upper or free end of the associated directing plate 32 to a position as in Fig. 3, in contact with a limiting finger 46 and causes the portion 44 of the latch 39 to rest on the bracket 45. The plate 32 is thus held in this position by the latch 39, even after the operated contact 36 is broken, and remains in such position, directing the discarded body blank D into the receptacle C.

. The body blank in its passage in contact with the undersurface of the plate 32 engages the portion 41 of the latch 39 and pivots the latch on its shaft 40, raising the weighted end 43 thereof, and by gravity the plate 32 swings on its axis about the shaft 27 to its normal position, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be understood that the operator employed for feeding the sheets to the bed plate 2 is enabled by closing any of the selected contacts 36, to cause the movement of the directing plates 32 from normal position, Fig. 2, to operated or set position, Fig. 3, and that the actuated plate or plates will remain in such position until such time as the body blank directed thereby into the receptacle C releases its associated plate from its passage thereover, thus the operator is enabled to set the plates 32 in accordance with his desire of classification of body blanks cut from the plate by the slitter mechanism.

This classification, at the will of the operator, is done as follows: Reverting to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the right hand side of feed table 2 adjacent the right hand longitudinal edge of the standard size tin plate A is graduated transversely or divided into four equal parts E, F, G and H, corresponding to the width of the four can body blanks which are ultimately to be cut from the standard size sheet in the second operation slitter, and also corresponding with the four contacts or switches 36 on slitter table 2. These graduations or divisions are for the guidance of the operator, who, when he detects a waster spot or imperfection, somewhere on the surface of the standard size sheet A, almost instantly locates such spot as belonging within the boundary of one of the areas E, F, G or H, and he accordingly depresses the first, second, third or fourth switch 36, with the result that the correct one of the directing or diverting plates 32 is raised to diverting position by means of its associated electromagnet and thus the defective'can bod blank is led to the proper discard receptacle C.

I claim 1. A sorting apparatus for sheet slitters, including in combination with a slitting apparatus, a plurality of curved ide plates pivotally mounted adjacent the discharge end of the slitting apparatus, one guide plate cooperating with each slit portion as the same is discharged from the apparatus, selectively controlled electrically operated means for independently pivoting said respective curved guide plates, and to cause the slit portion cooperating therewith and as discharged from the slitters to pass either above or below the same.

2. A sorting apparatus for sheet slitters, including in combination with a slitting apparatus having means for cutting the sheet into parts, a plurality of guides movably mounted adjacent to the discharge end of the slitting apparatus and one of said guides cooperating with each slit portion as discharged from the slitter, means for independently moving any of said guides to cause the slit portions respectively cooperating therewith and as discharged from the slitters to be directed on either side thereof.

3. The combination of two slitter shafts arranged at an angle to each other, gearing connecting said shafts, a first runway leading from the first shaft, 2. second runway leading from the first runway and towards the second shaft, sheet feeding means actuated by the first shaft, a conveyer propelling sheets along the second runway, slitting and feeding rolls on the second shaft, a third shaft under the second shaft and having slitting and feeding rolls, a directing plate toward which the slit parts of a sheet are fed by said feeding rolls, and means operable at will for bringing the directing plate into the path of the slit blanks.

4. The combination of two slitter shafts arranged at an angle to each other, gearing connecting said shafts, a first runway leading from the first shaft, a second runway leading from the first runway and towards the second shaft, sheet feeding means actuated by the first shaft, a conveyer propelling sheets along the second runway, slitting and feeding rolls on the second shaft, a third shaft under the second shaft and having slitting feeding rolls, a directing plate toward which the slit parts of a sheet are fed by said feeding rolls, means operable at will for bringing the directing plate into the ath of the slit blanks, and means operate by a slit blank for moving the directing plate out of said path.

5. A sorting apparatus having in combination a plurality of alternative receptacles for of each of said plates being near the path of.

a sheet portion as the same is discharged from the machine, and selectively controlled and electrically operated means for independently swinging any desired one of said curved guide plates so that the ends of said plates shall be above or below the said path of the sheet portion.

7. A sorting apparatus for sections of a severed sheet, including in combination with a set of discharge rolls for the severed sections, a plurality of movable guide plates one common to each section and adapted to be set in different positions to discharge the sections in different directions, and selective electrically controlled means operable from a point removed from the discharge rolls and in advance of said discharging of the sections for setting said guide plates for guiding the sections associated with the respective guides in the desired directions.

8. A sorting apparatus for sections of a severed sheet, including in combination, an inspection station for observing the unsevered sheet, means arranged after saidstation for severing the sheet, a set of discharge rolls for the severed sections, a plurality of movable guide plates adapted to be set in different positions tor guiding said sections respectively as they are discharged, and selective electrically controlled means operable from a point removed from the discharge rolls and at said station for moving said guide plates.

for guiding the section associated with the respective guides in the desired direction.

9. A sorting apparatus having in combination a plurality of alternative receptacles each adapted to receive a definite part of a sheet when cut into sections, means for guiding the sheet, means for dividing said sheet into parts, and selective means for directing any predetermined part of the sheet into one or the other of its alternative receptacles.

10. A combined cutting and assorting apparatus, comp-rising apparatus for slitting a sheet into a lurality of sections, alternative receptacles or each section formed by said slitting apparatus, conveying means for the sheet and the sections thereof as formed, and selective means for directing predetermined sections of the sheet each into the desired receptacle.

11. A combined cutting and assorting apparatus, comprising means for cuttin a sheet into smaller sections, a plurality o receptacles-for receivin said cut sections according to their selecte quality, conveying means for the sheet and sections, and selective means for directing predetermined sections of the sheet each into the desired receptacle.

12. A combined cutting and assorting apparatus, comprising means for cutting a sheet into smaller sections, a plurality of receptacles for receiving said out sections according to their selected quality, conveying means for the sheet and forth'e sections, and selective means 0 erable in advance of said cutting means for irecting predetermined sections of the sheet each into the desired receptacle.

13.: A combined cutting and assorting apparatus, comprising means for cuttin a sheet into smaller sections, a plurality o receptacles for receiving said out sections according to their selected quality, conveying means for the sheet and for the sections, means within the path of said out sections for directing them according to prior selection each into its desired receptacle, and electro-magnetic means for actuating said directing means.

14. A combined cutting and assorting apparatus, comprising means for cutting a sheet into smaller sections, means for feeding said sheet and said out sections, a pathway discharging a normal quality section and means operable at will of the operator in advance of the cutting operation, to divert sections of abnormal quality from said pathway.

15. A sorting apparatus for sections of a severed sheet including in combination with the slitting apparatus having a set of discharge rolls for the severed sections, a plurality of movable guide plates, one common to each section as the same is discharged, and selective electrically controlled means operable from a point removed from the discharge rolls for moving said guide plates for guiding the section associated with the respective guide in the desired direction.

16. A sorting apparatus having in combination, means for cutting a sheet into parts,

a plurality of alternative receptacles for the JOHN CHARLES BALLE-TTI. 

